"Many Cultures, One Northeastern"

Blog #8
March 14th, 2011

"Many Cultures, One Northeastern"

Flipping through these photos of my travels over the past month between Brussels and Paris; a common thread ties them together. A spark you could say. A passion that once ignited me that became dulled by the tiring experiences of the first few months here. An ambition that inspired the titling of this blog to begin with. My passion to explore and experience the world.

As I begin a new chapter of my life, yet again, on my own for the very first time in a new apartment, I can’t help but feel excited. These thoughts have crept back into my mind in the most unusual of ways; they returned to me at a birthday party last week (a French student named Tatum). Slightly intoxicated and dressed in way too many colors for Carnevale celebrations, I had my revelation. An Italian student gave a speech at the party in honor of the birthday, which was mainly another reason to toast and drink. But for some reason, amidst all the music and chaos, I paid attention. He said that nights like these when we all get-together, in a room full of languages, where there’s no fighting over politics or country differences; this is the true meaning of being international. We’re a unique breed of people. We just get it.

Somewhere between doing Shakira’s World Cup dance and having a very confusing conversation partly in Italian, English, and some Spanish, it dawned on me; this is exactly why I choose this program! Not for a piece of paper, not so I could live in Italy, not because it will ‘advance my career’. Because I am one of these people. Without borders.

Now that I sit back and reflect on it, I can’t help but think of my time at Northeastern at the ISSI (International Student & Scholar Institute). I think of all the life-long relationships that were formulated in that office. People I will always be in contact with (thanks to facebook). Opportunities and eye opening realizations. Cultural understanding and appreciation.

I guess my passion never died. It just got distracted by all the stress of moving here, leaving loved ones in the States, and plain old adjusting. Ironically I’m the most stressed out I’ve ever been here (mainly from my very demanding semester at school), but somehow my inner fire broke through. With this new fuel, I find myself evolving my old sentiment of ‘Many Cultures, One Northeastern’ to embracing the role of expatriate:

“There are no foreign lands. It is the traveler only who is foreign.” – Robert Louis Stevenson

Jackie <3